December 24th, 1978

The winter holidays in Resembool were quieter than some years. Due to various work schedules, it was mostly Ed's side of the family that came down for the holidays. Alphonse and Elicia stayed in Central since Ethan took off, which kept Ren in Central with the practice, and Cal couldn't get the time off for travel.

While Ed missed his brother, he was glad to have Sara and Ethan's families in his house for the holidays, including extended family. Trisha and Roy had come down with Rosa, who was now a two year old bundle of exploratory energy. James, now eighteen, looked a bit different with his officers-school military regulation haircut and glasses. He actually reminded Ed of photos of Franz at that age. In between them all, Ethan's children were sprouting and blossoming in their own rights. Eamon and Lily, like Callie, had just celebrated their thirteenth birthdays, and Ed had already heard Ethan and Aldon conspiring on how to keep boys away from their beautiful daughters. Aeddan was six-and-a-half, and into everything he could get his hands on, unless he had his nose in a book. Lia highly encouraged the books. So far Aeddan had shown a keen interest in anything scientific, anything that could be built like cars or planes or buildings, and wild animals.

Though the subject of everyone's highest interest this year was, as always, the newest unborn member of the family.

Ed was grateful that the past few months, Cayla's health had steadily improved – nausea of her first trimester not-withstanding – and she almost seemed to gain strength even as the babe grew. Of course, he attributed a lot of that to Urey's constant watchful care. His grandson put almost any other man to shame. Cayla wanted for nothing, and her appetite was certainly better than Ed had seen it –not that he'd seen it often— but even Urey had commented, and seemed very pleased. On her delicate frame, she looked further along than she actually was.

As it was, a large portion of the presents under the tree for Cayla and Urey this year were as much for the baby as the parents. Cayla's delighted expression at each little item made it that much more special. Ed watched her show each and every thing to Urey, who exclaimed in equal delight, even though Ed couldn't imagine Urey was any more interested in knit booties and baby blankets than Ed had been.

"If I didn't know better, I'd think you were taking after, Dad," Ian teased Urey as he dropped down in the chair next to his brother, his plate loaded down with dessert.

"What does that mean?" Urey looked suspiciously at Ian.

"I just mean your lovely wife looks like she could pop any day already," Ian replied, keeping the smile on his face. He'd meant it to be friendly. He hadn't expected Urey to be so jumpy about it, though maybe he should have been a little more sensitive.

"Oh." Urey relaxed a little and turned to look at Cayla, who was chatting with Deanna and Trisha. "Well we're still not due until April."

"I got that." Ian took a big bite of pie and swallowed. "You know, you need to try some of this stuff," he pointed at the blueberry pie with his fork. "It's amazing."

"Oh I—"

"And don't tell me you couldn't," Ian cut him off with a grin. "Seriously, you're going to waste away to nothing at this rate. Even you shouldn't have to eat like a rabbit, and even Cayla thinks so. I should know, I asked." It had been a quiet conversation, but one he'd had the day he'd gotten off the train from Central.

"I see you're back to your old self," Urey commented, though he sounded less irritable, and eyed Ian's plate. "They trying to fatten you up for a part?"

Ian snickered. "They tried to tell me I needed to bulk up muscle for a role last summer. I told them it doesn't work that way. I can work out all year and add definition and it's not going to get much bulkier than this. They can do the rest with camera angles and good tailoring."

"Did they?"

"Yep." Ian had won that argument. "We have some really talented costume designers."

"Any of them pretty girls?" Urey asked with a sly smile.

Ian chuckled. "Yeah, a few." Not that he'd gone out with more than a handful of them. The last thing any guy ought to do was anger his costume or make-up team. "I try not to mix business with pleasure though. It doesn't usually doesn't end well."

"So the rumors about you and your new co-star in this romantic drama are—"

"Rumors, alas." Ian liked Vanae Lorene well enough. She was certainly hot, but she was also not his type. "This is, of course, why it's called acting. I'm not seeing anyone seriously right now."

"Do you ever?"

"Well, no." Ian admitted between bites, then poked his brother with his fork. "Now go get some of this before it's gone!"

"All right!" Urey hopped up to get out of the way. "If you say I've got to try it I'll try it."

Ian watched him go, and smiled as Urey got a slice of the pie, just one, but hey it was dessert right?

Ian had to admit, watching the family holiday around him, that Cayla did fit in pretty well, despite the challenges. She had a lot of needs, but she tried not to be pushy about them. And he was proud of his family, after all, they never turned their backs on anyone. His parents seemed to be adjusting as well. Maybe their reactions and concerns hadn't been justified. He honestly hoped not.

Ian just hoped Urey would relax a little more once the kid came.

"Thank you, Ethan," Cayla smiled kindly at Urey's uncle.

"It's no problem," Ethan assured them both as he watched his nephew rest a protective hand on Cayla's shoulder. "I'll be sure to come down early." The last thing he'd want to do would be to miss the birth. He completely understood their concerns. He'd heard enough about it on the phone from Aldon for the past few months. Having someone there who could perform medical alchemy, on top of their usual doctors, would be an added level of safety in case of complications.

"I feel better knowing you'll be here," Urey admitted.

"Good." Ethan smiled. "Bit of friendly advice, try and relax a little more. You don't want to wear yourself to a frazzle before you get to late night feedings and diaper changes."

Urey chuckled. "Right. I'll work on that."

April 5th, 1979

Spring came late to Resembool. Winter hung on for weeks, and when it changed it came in cold, sheeting rain. It kept Cayla indoors, but Urey was almost grateful for that since it meant she got plenty of rest, which she needed. He went to work at Deanna's father's dairy. They had recently expanded the herd and since it was moving into calving season, they could always use help.

Thankfully, Cayla hadn't had any more fevers that winter, and while she'd had a couple of weak spells, she didn't get so bad she needed the wheelchair in the house. Though sometimes he was a little surprised she didn't. He never said anything out loud, but against her fragile frame, her belly was huge, and he felt guilty for putting her through so much discomfort every time he looked at her. When he was home he did his best to pamper her with every spare moment.

Any fears of the baby coming too soon slowly faded as week after week Cayla grew, and the baby stayed safely inside where it belonged.

Ethan arrived at the end of March, showing up early just in case the baby did, and stayed up at Grandpa Ed's house, though he visited daily, and even went over to the hospital to help out for a couple of days.

The days became days of waiting. The small room next to Urey and Cayla's downstairs room had been transformed into a nursery with everything they needed. All that was missing was the baby.

"They only come when they're ready," Aldon assured Urey one evening as they all began to settle down for the night. "Nothing we can do is going to change that. Besides, you want them to come when they're ready."

"I know." And Urey did know. He and Cayla had attended classes on the subject, read books, talked to more family and friends and gotten far more advice than he cared to count. As he crawled into bed that evening, he just wished that babies came when their parents were ready.

"Urey? Urey!"

Startled awake, Urey sat bolt upright in bed. Outside, thunder crashed and a scatter of lightning brought stark relief to the room. "What is it?" He looked over at Cayla, who vanished back into darkness as the lightning faded. Another flash caught her eyes, wide eyes. Her hands were on her belly. "Is it the baby?" He reached over and turned on the lamp, flooding the room with amber light.

Cayla nodded definitively. "Wet…" she managed. "And…owww." She gasp sharply and let the breath out slow.

Wet. The sheets, Urey realized, were wet. "Hold on." He scrambled out of bed. "Hold on!" Oh shit. Baby…coming. Doctor. Call the doctor. Urey scrambled out of the room, his first shout for his mother, and then he was on the phone, dialing his Grandfather's house, waking Ethan, who promised to be right over and assured Urey he hadn't gone to bed yet. Then he called Doctor Lalman's house, not caring if he dragged the woman out of bed. Cayla was having the baby now!

When he got back to the room, his mother was there, soothing Cayla gently. Talking her through a contraction, reminding her to relax. "It's all right. There you go. There you go. That's right. Breathe easy. Relax. Good."

Her soft tones worked their way into Urey's brain, reminding him of all the times she had used them with him as a child. He sat down on the other side of Cayla, who was sweating already, and a little wide eyed, but calming. "Is everything okay?" Urey asked when the contraction was over.

"They're pretty intense," his mother replied, still calm. "I can see why they would hurt. I think your little one is finally in a hurry to get here."

"Great," Urey harrumphed. "Of course my kid couldn't wait until a decent hour."

"Why would it?" his mother asked. "None of you ever did."

April 6th, 1979

The contractions stayed strong, and hard, and despite how hard he tried to stay in the room, Urey had to excuse himself more than once. Cayla's face was very expressive, and the contortions of pain, the times she whimpered or cried out, how hard she worked, it was almost too much. The fluids were too much. The third time he left, Urey had to empty his own stomach in the bathroom from queasiness.

"Yeah, I never was good at this part."

Urey looked up into his father's sympathetic face. "Is it always like this?"

"More or less."

Urey shook his head, then moved to the sink and splashed cold water over his face. "Then you were crazy to have all of us."

"Maybe." To his surprise his father didn't argue the point. "But I'm not sorry and neither is your mother. Do you want to come wait in the living room?"

"No." Urey looked at his pale face in the mirror. "No. I need to see this through." And then, he swore to himself, he was never going to put Cayla through this ever again.

His grandmother was standing in the hallway.

"What's wrong?" Urey asked when she moved forward to meet them.

"They don't want anyone else in there right now," she said, too calmly for Urey's liking. "They're examining her, and helping the baby into a better position." Uncle Ethan, Doctor Lalman, and his mother were all still inside the room.

"Mom," Aldon spoke with a soft, sharp tone that Urey hadn't expected. "What's wrong?"

Winry's face softened. "She's having trouble moving into transition, and her fever has come back."

Birth was one of the most beautiful, and terrible, parts of Ethan's job as a doctor. The creation of life, bringing it into the world for the first time, presenting parents with a new child to love and cherish; that was what happened when everything went right, or at least, when it all turned out right.

At the moment, Ethan was beginning to hope that it would turn out all right. Lalman was a great doctor to be working with, and Cassie the calmest nurse it was possible to have, even with her own grandchild the one coming.

Ethan had not been at all happy when Cayla's fever returned only a couple of hours into her labor. He suspected that the stress on her system had likely triggered it. Her fragile form dripped with sweat, and she cried out in ripping pain with each contraction. Along with the fluids he expected, there was blood…more than there should be. Searching for possible internal causes with alchemy, Ethan delved until he found one. "Tearing," he said simply, and moved to correct it, stemming blood flow, healing the damage, but so careful, so very carefully. He tried not to pull any of the healing energy from Cayla; he brought it all through himself. She didn't have enough to use, he noticed. A fact that alarmed him, though he could do nothing for it at the moment. Most women, even after nine months of the rigors of carrying their child, had plenty of energy, of life force, to keep themselves going. Cayla, the poor girl, had little to no reserves to speak of.

The excess blood stopped. "Did you fix it?" Lalman asked curtly.

Ethan nodded, and pulled out a handkerchief, wiping sweat from his own brow. He was going to be spent after this one. "There's no hemorrhaging."

Cayla's next contraction elicited whimpers, but no more tearing screams. She didn't even look surprised, entirely wrapped up in simply bringing her child into the world. Ethan wondered if she was even aware of anything but her body, and the soothing sounds of Cassie's voice. Cassie, who was sweating too, from nerves; who sounded as calm and pleasant as if it were just a simple exercise. At least Cayla still responded to her instructions.

"Where are we?" Ethan asked Lalman.

"Full dilated and effaced. She's still having some trouble pushing the head down. It's big."

Ethan nodded. He wasn't sure what he could do about that, but there might be something. Placing his hands once more on her side, he closed his eyes, and concentrated. As he did so, he tried to pull some of the pain away, as he had done for Lia. It wasn't as effective with a woman he didn't know intimately, and he had to be delicate, oh so very delicate, with her, but he tried to help her body shunt away some of the pain, and to soothe the area around which the child's head was pushing. It seemed to be swelling and irritating the flesh there, and he calmed the irritation as best he could, and tried to feed her more energy, enough to push. If there had been time, and if she had been stronger, he might have suggested to Lalman that it was time to reconsider opting for surgery, except he knew how little she had left, and in her condition, that did not seem a viable option. It hadn't been when they had discussed it beforehand, except in the extremity. In her current condition, the medication itself, not to mention the trauma of surgery, might be enough to kill her.

Even with alchemy, Ethan could almost feel it when the child finally slid down with the next contraction. Cayla's body was working so hard. She squawked, startled by the movement. Ethan gave her all the energy he could muster. There wasn't anything else he could do.

"That's it," Cassie's soothing voice came to his ears, almost as if she was talking to him to. "Just a little longer. You can do it. The baby's coming just fine. That's right. Very good."

Ethan could feel her slipping, then stabilizing. He just had to keep her there. He slowly fed her more energy, shunted away more pain. It was a delicate balancing act. "Lalman?"

"Progressing quickly. Plus two."

Ethan grunted. "Get Urey in here, now." This was it, the final push, and Cayla needed her husband. There was no doubt in Ethan's mind that Urey had to be in here.

He didn't know who went to the door, or if they were waiting outside, but it opened and Urey burst through it, though he stopped dead for several seconds, face pale, before he stumbled to the bedside. "Cayla?" He fumbled for her hand, and held it tight. "I'm here, Cayla. It's all right. I'm right here."

Ethan felt a small surge in her, not alchemical energy, but a flicker of life. Good. That was what he needed. Good girl. Now just hold on a few more minutes.

"Cayla, honey?" Urey's voice held a note of panic, an edge that he was clearly fighting back.

She blinked up at him briefly. "Urey." Her weak smile contorted into another grimace of pain as the next contraction hit, and Ethan focused on trying to shunt it away, to hold her steady, to keep her energy up.

"Cayla?" Urey's voice seemed a mile away. "Cayla!"

Author's Note (8/20/13): And for my birthday this year we get... drama and suspense! How will this moment turn out? Find out next week!

I know the pacing on this story is a bit different from most of my other works, while it is internally consistent. It felt that it needed the slightly more frenetic pace. It covers more time than most stories, with a specific focus, and there's a lot of time where we might have hung around going "okay, she's been sick for two weeks. Can we read something other than Urey taking care of his wife now?" It refuses to be laborious and slow, but I think that is for the best given how much drama we get in relatively short order!

Thanks for reading!